Christmas is the biggest holiday in Finland - and one of the biggest part of it is the delicious Christmas food you only get once a year. The food traditions variate a bit in different parts of Finland and get new influences every year, but for many it is very important to have specific traditional dishes on the Christmas table.
Christmas meal (jouluruoka) The main Christmas meal is normally eaten with family on the evening of the Christmas eve.
Ham(kinkku) with mustard (sinappi)
Gravlax / cured salmon(graavilohi) (in the Eastern parts of Finland) or lutefisk (dried whitefish treated with lye) (lipeäkala) (in the West)
Boiled potatoes (perunat) served with brown sauce (ruskeakastike)
(www.lihatiedotus.fi) (www.kotijakeittio.fi)
Two to four types of casseroles (laatikko):
Potato casserole(perunalaatikko) sweetened or not (more common in the East)
Carrot casserole (porkkanalaatikko)
Swede casserole (lanttulaatikko)
Liver casserole (maksalaatikko) not all Finns include this on their Christmas table
These days, people have started to try new variations too, such as beetroot casserole (punajuurilaatikko).
(www.saarioinen.fi)
Rosolli is a salad with pickled beetroots, apples, pickled cucumber, carrots and potatoes (some add onion, too). Different variations include different combinations of these ingredients. Rosolli is served with whipped cream stained pink with a bit of beetroot juice.
Christmas tart (joulutorttu) is made with puff pastry and prune jam (or apple marmalade) traditionally cut and shaped into a star.
(www.myllynparas.fi)
Rice porridge (riisipuuro) is eaten during the Christmas time and especially on the morning of the Christmas eve. Christmas porridge can either be cooked in the oven or on the stove and the tradition is to hide one almond in it. The one that finds the almond in her/his portion gets a wish or a prize. Porridge can be eaten with milk, sugar and cinnamon or plum fool.
(www.kotikokki.net)
Plum fool (luumukeitto / luumukiisseli) or Mixed fruit fool (sekametelisoppa) is a sweet dessert that is cooked with prunes and possibly a mix of other dried fruits such as peach, apple and pear. The fool is eaten cold with rice porridge or alone as a dessert after the Christmas meal.
(www.mimminkeitto.vuodatus.net)
Other sweets, especially chocolate (suklaa) and marmalades (marmeladimakeinen)
(www.dinanmaailma.blogspot.fi)
Glögi is served throughout the Christmas period. It is spiced hot berry juice served with raisins and almonds. You can find glögi from any shop in December. It is non-alcoholic but some like to add a dash of vodka in it.
(www.ruoka.fi)
Easter (pääsiäinen) food
Lamb roast, often seasoned with salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic. Served with potatoes and/or roasted vegetables.
(www.dansukker.fi)
Mämmi, a dessert from rye and malted rye. Served with cream, custard or milk and sugar.
mammi
(www.finnishfoodgirl.com)
Chocolate eggs
Midsummer (juhannus)
Midsummer is also an important holiday for the Finnish people. They like to celebrate it outside - often at a summer cottage - and that's why it is common to cook midsummer meal on a barbecue. Steaks, sausages, mushrooms and vegetables are often included in the meal. It is also common to eat boiled earlies (Finnish potatoes) with dill and butter or prepare potato salad with mayonnaise, chives etc. For a dessert, Finns eat pancakes made on a specific pan above the grill (served with strawberry or raspberry jam) or/and strawberry cake - from fresh strawberries, of course.
Runeberg's day (Runebergin päivä)
Runeberg's day - the 5th of February - is the birthday of Johan Ludvig Runeberg, the national poet of Finland. This day is often celebrated by eating small cakes called Runeberg torte (Runebergin torttu). The cakes are flavoured with almond and arrack or rum and have ring of sugar icing and raspberry jam on the top.
(www.makutuote.fi)
Shrove Tuesday & Sunday / Sledging day (laskiainen)
Sledging day buns (laskiaispullat), a sweet wheat bun filled with whipped cream and strawberry / raspberry jam or almond paste.
(www.sinuhe.fi)
Pea (and ham) soup (hernekeitto) is also traditionally served on Shrove Tuesday or Sunday. On these days, it is common for Finns to go sledging down a hill and after a sporty day outside, hot soup tastes delicious! Soup can be either vegetarian or served with diced ham. You can buy pea and ham soup in a tin can from any shop (it's really cheap, too) or cook it yourself!
Christmas is the biggest holiday in Finland - and one of the biggest part of it is the delicious Christmas food you only get once a year. The food traditions variate a bit in different parts of Finland and get new influences every year, but for many it is very important to have specific traditional dishes on the Christmas table.
Christmas meal (jouluruoka) The main Christmas meal is normally eaten with family on the evening of the Christmas eve.
(www.lihatiedotus.fi) (www.kotijakeittio.fi)
Two to four types of casseroles (laatikko):
- Potato casserole (perunalaatikko) sweetened or not (more common in the East)
- Carrot casserole (porkkanalaatikko)
- Swede casserole (lanttulaatikko)
- Liver casserole (maksalaatikko) not all Finns include this on their Christmas table
These days, people have started to try new variations too, such as beetroot casserole (punajuurilaatikko).(www.saarioinen.fi)
(www.valio.fi)
(www.myllynparas.fi)
(www.kotikokki.net)
(www.mimminkeitto.vuodatus.net)
(www.dinanmaailma.blogspot.fi)
(www.ruoka.fi)
Easter (pääsiäinen) food
(www.dansukker.fi)
(www.finnishfoodgirl.com)
Midsummer (juhannus)
Midsummer is also an important holiday for the Finnish people. They like to celebrate it outside - often at a summer cottage - and that's why it is common to cook midsummer meal on a barbecue. Steaks, sausages, mushrooms and vegetables are often included in the meal. It is also common to eat boiled earlies (Finnish potatoes) with dill and butter or prepare potato salad with mayonnaise, chives etc. For a dessert, Finns eat pancakes made on a specific pan above the grill (served with strawberry or raspberry jam) or/and strawberry cake - from fresh strawberries, of course.
Runeberg's day (Runebergin päivä)
Runeberg's day - the 5th of February - is the birthday of Johan Ludvig Runeberg, the national poet of Finland. This day is often celebrated by eating small cakes called Runeberg torte (Runebergin torttu). The cakes are flavoured with almond and arrack or rum and have ring of sugar icing and raspberry jam on the top.
(www.makutuote.fi)
Shrove Tuesday & Sunday / Sledging day (laskiainen)
(www.sinuhe.fi)
(www.kauppahalli24.fi) (www.rouvaraadelma.com)